4 DEMOCRATS FACE CONNECTICUT VOTE

HARTFORD, Sept. 7—Democrats in Connecticut will be choosing candidates in two Congressional primary elections this Tuesday.

In one contest, William R. Ratchford of Danbury, a former Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives, is trying to wrest the nomination from Frank Santaguida, the leader of the Democratic machine in Waterbury.

In the other race, Mayor Stanley J. Pac of New Britain is hoping to capture the nomination from Toby Moffett of Farmington, the consumer advocate who won the nomination at the July Convention while the Mayor was just warming up to the fight.

Until he resigned from the job to enter the campaign, Mr. Moffett, who is 30 years old, was director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group. He was one of Ralph Nader's sb‐called raiders and has worked on efforts to ban throw‐away bottles and promote openness in government.

Mayor Pac, 51, has been campaigning harder than ever since the convention, at county fairs as well as at factory gates. Today he went to Southbury for the Democratic town committee's picnic, then to the Bethlehem Fair, then to join the firemen's parade in Farinington. Tonight he headed for Bristol for the St. Anthony's beer festival.

The House seat the two are vying’ for is the one being vacated by Ella T. Grasso of Windsor Locks, the Democratic candidate for governor. The ReRepublican nominee for the seat is Pat Piscopo of Thomaston, the former deputy state banking commissioner.

In the Fifth Congressional District, whicli extends from Danbury and Ridgefield east to Meriden, either Democratic candidate will, face a difficult contest taking on Representative Ronald A. Sarasin of Beacon Falls, the Republican who is making a strong bid for reelection.

Mr. Santaguida, who is the Democratic town chairman in Waterbury, a political wheel in the populous Naugatuck Valley, is also an international representative of the United’ Auto Workers. He won the nomination easily at the July convention.

Mr. Ratchford, 40, knew from the beginning that he would have a poorer chance before organization Democrats than in an election in which all enrolled Democrats could vote. He has leaned that be has more experience than his opponent —president of the National Legislative Conference and, for two terms, as speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives.

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A version of this archives appears in print on September 8, 1974, on Page 43 of the New York edition with the headline: 4 DEMOCRATS FACE CONNECTICUT VOTE. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe